Chapter Four #2
“You can’t buy us a house,” protested Cora, her startled gaze meeting his .
“I can and I am. You are going to find a place that you like and put an offer in. Cash deal with your name on the deed. You can also get a vehicle and whatever other necessities you need. It’s non negotiable,” firmly stated Henry.
“It’s probably a good idea to get it done before the baby arrives. Then you can have the nursery ready.”
Cora stepped forward, hugging him hard. “Only if you come to live with us. Remember, I’m going to help you get through this heart transplant so no more talk about dying. Deal?”
Henry gently hugged her back. “Deal.”
“I’m glad you’re here,” she murmured.
Henry was glad he was here as well, he thought to himself as he gently rubbed her back. It was a bit awkward, holding Cora with the baby bump between them, but Henry wouldn’t complain.
What would he do if she had killed Nate? The question haunted him before he decided to shove it aside. He wasn’t going to think about it until he knew for certain what had happened. If he didn’t ask, then he didn’t need to know. Besides, it was self defense, wasn’t it?
Henry held Cora a little tighter, leaning his cheek against her soft hair.
He was tired from the day’s activities. Henry had canceled all of his appointments and had texted Ben what had happened while at the police station.
Ben had responded that he would take Nick and Oliver for the night, having a gaming sleepover at his condo.
Henry supposed he should give Ben a call to let him know Cora was home.
He also had a few questions for his brother.
Cora slowly let him go, clearing her throat. “Where are Nick and Oliver?”
“Ben has them,” answered Henry. “He said he would take them overnight.”
Cora nodded. “I’m going to have a bath and take a nap. I’m so tired after everything that has happened today.”
Henry walked Cora to her suite before returning to his own. Once there, he sat down heavily on the couch, took out his cellphone, and called Ben.
“Ben here,” came his youngest brother’s reply.
“Do you have a moment to talk in private or should I call back?” asked Henry as he leaned back and ran a hand over his face. He probably shouldn’t sit still for too long or he would run the risk of falling asleep. That had become a habit lately. He was constantly exhausted.
Mostly because his heart was giving out.
“We can talk. The boys are setting up air mattresses in the living room and are moving the furniture around. Kitty is helping them,” explained Ben. “What happened with Cora? Is she okay?”
“They released her and she’s back at the hotel. Kepler questioned her about Nate’s death again,” sighed Henry.
“He can’t really think she would have anything to do with Nate’s death,” scoffed Ben.
Henry hesitated. Kepler seemed to think exactly that.
“Henry? We both know Cora didn’t hurt Nate,” insisted Ben.
“How do we know that? The more I learn about their marriage, the more I worry she may have done something in self defense,” softly admitted Henry. “I wasn’t here. I don’t know exactly what happened but it seems like they weren’t happy, that Nate wasn’t the best husband.”
It was Ben’s turn to be silent.
“Ben?” prompted Henry.
“About a year ago I gave her one of my credit cards. I told her she could use it for anything she wanted, whenever she needed to. I thought she might need a means to find her way out of the marriage. I knew she wasn’t happy, but Nate and Cora were always good at hiding what was really going on.
Plus, I hardly ever saw her unless it had to do with Nick and Oliver or one of our family gatherings.
Nate was always about presenting this picture like they were a perfect family, but I didn’t quite believe it.
I remembered Nate as the bully who made my life terrible as a kid.
So I gave her a credit card. Cora took it, but she never put any charges on it until recently, so I thought I was probably wrong.
I hoped I was wrong,” admitted Ben. “But I know she wouldn’t deliberately hurt anyone. She’s too kind.”
Even kind people could lash out when pushed into a corner hard enough, reflected Henry. “You suspected she was being abused.”
“Yes. I tried to talk to her about it a couple of times, but she laughed off my concerns. Cora told me I was being silly, so I dropped it even though I didn’t really believe her.
I thought by giving her the credit card, at least she would have a means of getting out if that was what she wanted,” explained Ben.
“Cora told me she was planning on leaving him. She was doing so the day Nate died,” woodenly said Henry.
He should have been here. He should have done something years earlier.
Stopped her from marrying his brother. Yet how could he have known?
How would he have known Nate would harm Cora?
Henry sighed in frustration. He had been so busy with his own feelings of loss over her, running away to Asia, that he hadn’t been present to protect her.
“I’m glad she was going to leave him. I wish she had done it years earlier,” stated Ben with conviction.
“Nate left her without any money.” Henry shared the details of the will and what he had since done, setting her up as a joint account holder on his own funds. “I just wanted you to be aware.”
“I paid the health insurance payments for her. She was worried that it would be a big bill, what with the baby coming. Cora called me the other week in a panic over it. She actually thought I would be angry with her over the upcoming bill,” revealed Ben.
“I think Nate had her on a very short financial leash.”
Henry wasn’t sure what to say. The fact that they had so much money and yet Nate would deny his wife the ability to use his funds, that was ridiculous in his opinion.
“Cora has been through a lot. I know the boys are getting counseling, but I think she should go to therapy as well,” mentioned Ben. “Kitty and I have been trying to be more involved in her life and I know Addison is trying hard to be friends with her now that Nate has passed.”
“Why not be friends when Nate was alive?” questioned Henry in concern.
“Nate didn’t really allow it. Cora and Addison might make plans, but Cora always ended up backing out.
Whatever the excuse, Addison was pretty sure it was Nate isolating Cora from everyone.
She didn’t have any friends anymore. All Cora had was Nate and the kids,” replied Ben. “It’s a classic abuser move.”
Henry wished he had done things so differently. He regretted ever introducing Cora to his brother.